Chicago Bulls: Getting Pelicans’ first-rounder for Nikola Mirotic a big success
The Chicago Bulls made us nervous for a while, but they finally traded away Nikola Mirotic. And they actually got a first-round pick out of it.
Well, that ended up being a little bit more difficult than we thought it was going to be. But after a couple days of uncertainty, the Chicago Bulls finally traded Nikola Mirotic today.
After their initial trade fell through, the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson broke news that the Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans struck a deal, swapping Mirotic and a second-round pick for Omer Asik, the Pelicans’ first-round pick, Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson.
Allen and Nelson will likely be waived upon completion of the deal.
So, to recap, the deal, while not final, is being worked to completion with Mirotic and 2nd-round pick headed to Pelicans and Asik and future 1st-round pick coming to Bulls. Option to swap 2nd-round picks in future draft.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 1, 2018
Jameer Nelson also is expected to be in deal, per source. He, too, will be waived along with Tony Allen.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 1, 2018
Sure, including the second-round pick won’t make everyone happy, but consider that the impetus the Pelicans needed to finally guarantee Mirotic’s $12.5 million option for next season. Remember: until someone picked up that option, this deal was not going down.
Also, look at the clear positive the Chicago Bulls just pulled off here. Would you rather have a first- and second-round pick next year or two first-round picks, which they now have? Sometimes, you have to give to get.
Not only that, but somehow, the Bulls got the Pelicans to relinquish protections on the first-round pick unless it’s 1-5, which the Pelicans won’t come near. Well done.
First-round pick the Pelicans are sending Chicago in Mirotic trade is protected 1-5 in 2018, per source, with gradual easing of protections in subsequent years.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 1, 2018
By the way, color me impressed: I didn’t believe the Bulls would able get a first-rounder for him alone. But they pulled it off.
The serendipity of DeMarcus Cousins’ season-ending injury—I’m still bummed out over that—helped make this happen. The Pelicans needed help alongside Anthony Davis as they attempt to stay in the Western Conference playoff hunt, and Mirotic gives them much-needed shooting at a forward position.
Plus, the Pelicans badly wanted to get rid of Asik’s hefty contract to free up cap space for re-signing Cousins. If you want to entice a team to take that on, you have to sweeten the deal. So they threw in the first-round pick.
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Now, some will be disappointed that this pick might not end up being a top-15/lottery pick and count this a waste of Mirotic’s trade value.
With the Chicago Bulls getting back to their losing ways and Mirotic now gone, though, does that matter?
The Bulls themselves are angling once again for a spot at the lottery table, as per the original plan. As such, obtaining an extra first-round pick, no matter where it is, just sweetens the deal.
Plus, if the Bulls are desperate to move up in the draft in the summer, they have two first-round picks to potentially dangle if they want to. I imagine some team would find that an interesting proposition, even if it couldn’t put them in the top four.
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Bottom line: the Chicago Bulls succeeded in their objective with this trade.
Sure, it was an agonizing wait, and keeping Mirotic around these last few weeks gained them some wins they didn’t want. But they actually did what they had to do here instead of just holding onto people for no reason. And the result absolutely helps the goal of rebuilding this team as quickly as they can.
Not bad, GarPax. Not bad.